What’s your favorite airshow?

As part of our month-long focus on airshows and fly-ins in our print edition, we’d like to find out what events are among our readers’ favorites. So, what’s your favorite fly-in or airshow? Why? What makes it a great time?

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I don’t have a favorite “air show” as I prefer “fly-in’s” rather than scheduled acrobatic and ground displays. I like my local fly-in’s ( NorthPort, MI), but the favorite would be the Antique Airplane Assoc. in Blakesburg Iowa. At these events the people are there to fly and they do, it is not about money and organization or “one-upmanship”, the person with a beat up Taylorcraft is just as welcome as the one with a Staggerwing, and most will get along with each other just fine. They are both there to share the joy of flight and most participants understand that, checking ego’s at the threshold and are happy for those that fly regardless of the size and cost of one’s machine.

My favorite air show is my hometown event “Thunder in the Valley.” That’s the Chattahoochee Valley in Columbus, Georgia. The show started as a local fly-in 17 years ago and is now an annual not-to-miss event. It’s a non-profit, all volunteer show and all the proceeds go to local charities. Last year, when so many air shows were canceling due to sequestration, our show went on and it was a great show. It’s a shame that so many shows canceled because they couldn’t get the heavy metal military displays. Canceling due to lack of military participation impacts the professional air show performers, the very ones that make it an air show.

We won’t have any military participation again this year, but the show goes on. Join us in Columbus, GA on March 15-16 for an outstanding show. We have a great show scheduled with professional air show performers and no tax dollars will be used to fund military flyovers.

My favorite airshow is not one that is used to make profit by selling products. The small town airport flight breafast or flight dinner is always worth the time and effort to visit.
That includes the Antique Aircraft Association and Vintage Aircraft Group that allows us to see the original pilots and aircraft and owners with true flying in their hearts and a breath of air…the way it used to be….and should have remained over the decades.